Teacher Discussion Forums

So You Want to Be a Assistant English Teacher in Japan
 
Preface

Please be aware that this is a collegiate class project and as such only has a limited amount of information, accuracy, and authority. Sources used for this are only valid for the year of publication as new information and changes are constant with regards to this area. Much of the information is taken from first-hand experiences of those currently working in this area and company hiring pages. While I have made some efforts to check information I am limited to only cross-referencing the material. This was produced within the borders of the United States of America and no formal visits to Japan for verification was made due to time and budget constraints. This is in no way endorsed or directed by any organization or government.
The reason I am making this handbook is due to the fact that I felt that there wasn’t enough information available to those looking into working in this field to make informed decisions and thought that I would take this opportunity to place in the hands of those looking for such information something that could answer a few of the questions that a perspective Assistant Language Teacher might ask. I hope this is as informative to the reader as it was for the writer.
As always when applying and interviewing for such careers as available these answers may vary from business to business and you should always ask the hiring company for specifics about job details for greater information depth. Any entities wanting to add to or correct this document are free to contact the author with the information and will be reviewed and referenced for accuracy from available resources before amending this handbook. Thank you for your time in reading this article.
 
Index


The Employer: Businesses and What They Offer…..…………….3


The Job: Classroom and School Duties……………………………….5


Staying Healthy: Government Healthcare and Options………..7


Bibliography……………………………………………………………………..8

 
The Employer

The first step is getting to know your employer and getting the job. Most employers are looking for native English speakers, but additional requirements may be applicable for different employers. Most employers are termed “dispatch” employers. They hire out for English speakers to assist Japanese teachers of English on behalf of the City Board of Education. Most only hire on for a year at a time, but contract renewals are possible. Some sample requirements from some of the employers are here as examples of what one might see when looking for work.

GEOS Language Corporation
English Level: Native
Education Level: Bachelor’s Degree
Japanese Level: None
Current Residence: Japan
Training: Two days by company at the start, further as needed

Borderlink
English Level: Native
Education Level: Bachelor’s Degree
Japanese Level: Basic
Current Residence: Outside Japan
Training: One Week by company, additional language training as needed

Interac
English Level: Native
Education Level: Bachelor’s Degree
Japanese Level: Basic
Current Residence: Mostly Japan, but recruits outside Japan limitedly
Training: One Week by company, bi-monthly observation and training as needed

RCS

English Level: Native
Education Level: Bachelor’s Degree
Japanese Level: Basic
Current Residence: Outside Japan
Training: None, but workshops are available
Additional Facts

What is only mentioned occasionally is that an International driver’s license is a good step to getting the job as well. For any interviews that you may get be 15 minutes early and ready to go and dressed in black business suits with business cut hair. For female applicants a conservative business dress and uniform hair color preferably pulled back or up. Be pleasant and quick with answers, and avoid direct eye contact for extended periods of time. For applications add the fact that you are adaptable to new environments and willing to learn the language. These are some of the key points that employers and interviewers are looking for.

Among several of the things that these organizations provide are:

Visa Sponsorship
Subsidized Housing or assistance in locating housing (this will come out of your pay)
Travel Reimbursement for public transit (varies on availability from company to company and comes from pay)
Payment into the National Healthcare system or Private Insurance option (taken from pay)
The Pay: Varies from 180,000-260,000 Yen a month to start (standard pay average is currently 250,000 Yen a month and the first payday is usually 2 months after starting)

More Benefits can be found with different companies and as always look into the hiring company for more details.

The JET Programme

This option is also available and is the most highly recommended method for starting a career as an Assistant English Teacher (AET). Like many of the above companies the requirement and benefits are similar. The application process and interview process is longer and more involved than most companies, but this is a government run program and therefore carries the maximum in both pay and benefits available in this field. The prestige of having worked for the JET program is one of the most impressive points on future job applications and will open a number of doors. What the JET program values in addition is individuality. They are looking for unique people that show the diversity of human culture. Showing this in the confines of the interview where the dress code is standardized can be difficult so it is up to you and your personality to make the impression.
 
The Job


What does this job require of you? That is changing right now! Japan has expanded the time the students are exposed to English from Kindergarten through High School. Currently most kindergarten teachers are not trained to teach English as a second language at this level.

What does this mean for you? If you are hired for a position where you will be placed in kindergarten or elementary school classes you will likely be running the show. Most kindergarten jobs require you to have early childhood development training and certification because of this. The Lead teacher will be looking to you for classroom instruction design and techniques, but will provide translations as needed for students. Classroom cleanup, student welfare (general health and injuries on the playground), and field trip guide will also be part of your routine. As teacher training evolves to meet new requirements your role will change will it. Unfortunately I do not have any good videos links for this area.





For those of you looking at higher levels of education to work in the situation changes. The Lead teacher is very knowledgeable in their field and will likely look to you for as more a resource of accurate language pronunciation.

What this means is that you may be involved with lesson planning and vocal exercises in the classroom, but not much more. You will likely be assigned other duties in the school to fill you time as well, such as insuring students adhere to school codes, being an advisor to a club, or being an additional hand to help with some manual labor or field trips. Classroom cleanup at the end of every school day will also be part of your routine. You will also likely be assigned to be in more than one school in your district. That means travel between school frequently and less time spent in classrooms with the same students. You will need to be as flexible as possible for this job. This is likely where most of you will be working as this is the larger and more prominent field and realize that many of the duties described above are duties that regular teachers deal with as well so don’t feel like you are being used for duties that have little to do with teaching. This is all part of what teachers everywhere do as part of their job.

For those wanting to see a typical English class click here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0llSEnB ... re=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trkSXVLI ... re=related

Staying Healthy

A big part of moving to a new place is staying healthy in the new environment. For Japan that means paying into the National Health Care fund for access to medical facilities and treatment or paying for private insurance that allows similar access. Investigate your insurer to ascertain whether they will provide adequate coverage.

Most hiring companies do this on your behalf taking the money needed from your pay, but it is your responsibility to keep track of the needed documents so that you can use this benefit as needed. These documents should be kept with your identification papers and copies at your place of residence.

You should discuss these benefits with the hiring company to insure you understand how it works and what they are offering as part of the employment package. For those of you wanting more information on both the National Health care system and private insurers try the following links.


http://content.healthaffairs.org/cgi/re ... 0/3/87.pdf

http://www.allianzworldwidecare.com/healthcare-in-japan

http://www.globalsurance.com/?OVRAW=Hea ... 3985331511


If you find yourself without coverage take the time and find a good private insurance company in Japan.



http://www.japan-medical-insurance.com/insurers/gmc.php
 
Bibliography


ESLcafe.com for my discussion links regarding life as an AET

http://forums.eslcafe.com/teacher/viewtopic.php?t=9741 (Fluffyhamster, 2009)

http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=64852 (Mrtwist, 2009)

The Jet Program for more information from ALTs and Former ALTs

http://www.jetprogramme.org/e/current/publications.html

Medical Information main text

http://content.healthaffairs.org/cgi/re ... 0/3/87.pdf

Gaijinpot.com for a number of links to both jobs and employers

https://jobs.gaijinpot.com/index/index/ ... mit=Search

http://wiki.gaijinpot.com/wiki/Interac_Co.,_Ltd

https://jobs.gaijinpot.com/index/view/c ... b_id/32940

http://www.geoskids.com/
https://jobs.gaijinpot.com/index/view/l ... b_id/19472

Special thanks to JET recruiting representatives for their input, FluffyHamster who corresponded with me on ESLcafe.com and directed me to further links, Dave Sperling of ESLcafe.com for his willingness to let me post this and draw critiques of this work as a student, and all of the dispatch businesses that I have interviewed with and gave advise as I pursue this career.

Note: this topic may be moved to another forum that this topic fits better.
Edited Nov. 27 2009

Hi again Familiars, just a few corrections and comments (in bold) regarding what you've written (seeing as you said on your other thread that there will be a (i.e. this here!) 'small handbook that will be placed here for professional review regarding accuracy, informativeness, and presentation style. The compilation will be at the start of a new thread.'):

So You Want to Be a Japanese Assistant English Teacher [I'd change this to: So You Want to be an AET (Assistant English Teacher) in Japan]
 
Preface

Please be aware that this is a collegiate class project and as such only has a limited amount of information, accuracy, and authority. Sources used for this are only valid for the year of publication as new information and changes are constant with regards to this area. Much of the information is taken from first-hand experiences of those currently working in this area and company hiring pages [Don't believe too much of what you read in those company pages!]. While I have made some efforts to check information I am limited to only cross-referencing the material. This was produced within the borders of the United States of America and no formal visits to Japan for verification was made due to time and budget constraints. This is in no way endorsed or directed by any organization or government.
The reason I am making this handbook is due to the fact that I felt that there wasn’t enough information available to those looking into working in this field to make informed decisions with and thought that I would take this opportunity to place in the hands of those looking for such information [the 'with...information' passage reads a bit clunkily] something that could answer a few of the questions that perspective Japanese Assistant Language Teachers (JALT) might ask. [I would continue to use just AET, the abbreviation established in your title; the context is obviously 'in Japan' i.e. 'Japanese' is an arguably "ambiguous" adjective to use - though 'JALT' would well describe a Japanese national assisting with Japanese language instruction in the US, if such a scheme is or were operating there]. I hope this is as informative to the reader as it was for the writer. [Hah, as if! ].
As always when applying and interviewing for such careers as available these answers may vary from business to business and you should always ask the hiring company for specifics about job details for greater information depth. Any entities ['entities'?! ] wanting to add to or correct this document are free to contact the author with the information and will be reviewed and referenced for accuracy from available resources before amending this handbook. Thank you for your time in reading this article.
 
Index


The Employer: Businesses and What They Offer…..…………….3


The Job: Classroom and School Duties……………………………….5


Staying Healthy: Government Healthcare and Options………..7


Bibliograghy [p not g - and '(Internet-based) Sources' might be better?]……………………………………………………………………..8

 
The Employer

The first step is getting to know your employer and getting the job. Most employers are looking for native English speakers, but additional requirements may be applicable for different employers. Most employers are termed “dispatch” employers. They hire out for English speakers to assist native teachers to on behalf of the Prefecture Board of Education. [This really is a bad sentence. Change 'native teachers' to '(native) Japanese Teachers of English', and 'prefecture' (sic - this isn't even the adjectival form!) to 'local' or indeed 'City(-level) Boards of Education' (which is the level which most AETs, certainly those who are dispatch/indirect hire, work at)]. Most only hire on for a year [at a time], but extensions [contract renewals] are possible [, though they may not be to work at the same set of schools or indeed even within the same city - some "mobility" may be expected and required!]. Some sample requirements from some of the more prominent employers are here as examples of what one might see when looking for work.

GEOS Language Corporation
English Level: Native
Education Level: Bachelor’s Degree
Japanese Level: None
Current Residence: Japan
Training: Two days by company at the start, further as needed
[I wasn't aware that GEOS was a (major) dispatch AET employer, but I could be wrong or behind the times on this...still, I would advise you to check your facts, job listings on Dave's etc].

Borderlink
English Level: Native
Education Level: Bachelor’s Degree
Japanese Level: Basic
Current Residence: Outside Japan
Training: One Week by company, additional language training as needed
[Two days' training at most, actually; quality is substandard even for dispatch, IMHO].

Interact [Interac - no 't' - but you have spelled it correctly below at least!].
English Level: Native
Education Level: Bachelor’s Degree
Japanese Level: Basic
Current Residence: Mostly Japan, but recruits outside Japan limitedly
Training: One Week by company, bi-monthly observation and training as needed [Again, two days at most. Interac training is more small-group/expert-led and better than average IMHO].

RCS
English Level: Native
Education Level: Bachelor’s Degree
Japanese Level: Basic
Current Residence: Outside Japan
Training: None, but workshops are available [Actually, RCS - at least when I was with them - offered two days of training, and it wasn't too bad. Hell, they even supplied a free drink and IIRC offered to order in lunch boxes for those who wanted 'em! A seemingly caring company, that could actually be quite good, if it wasn't sometimes so busy raiding the bank and/or experiencing cash-flow problems and claiming poverty].
Additional Facts

What is only mentioned occasionally is that an International driver’s license is a good step to getting the job as well. For any interviews that you may get be 15 minutes early and ready to go and dressed in black business suits with business cut hair. For female applicant[s - plural] a conservative business dress and uniform hair color preferably pulled back or up. Be pleasant and quick with answers, and avoid direct eye contact for extended periods of time. [Yes, especially if you are working for apparent Yakuza who seem intent on staring you out!] For applications add the fact that you are adaptable to new environments and willing to learn the language. These are some of the key points that employers and interviewers are looking for.

Among several of the things that these organizations provide are:

Visa Sponsorship
Subsidized Housing or assistance in locating housing (this will come out of your pay)
Travel Reimbursement for public transit (varies on availability from company to company) [I don't think any dispatchers offer this nowadays - or if they do, the basic salary will be reduced accordingly by at least a few 'man' (multiples of ten thousand yen].
Payment into the National Healthcare system or Private Insurance option (taken from pay) [The PI options offered are usually substandard or dodgy - meaning you may be forced to haggle with hospitals to get them to accept it in cases of serious illness, and/or when illnesses are less serious and therefore more "affordable" (but are they ever, on dispatch, delayed, pro-rated pay?!) pay pretty much everything up front and claim it back later. What's the problem, some might say, if (NB: IFF) you eventually get back more or less 100%, and the official NHI only covers the first 70% and has exceptions to treatments covered? Well, the problem is that PI schemes usually have a top limit - say 3 milliion yen - which isn't much given anything truly life-threatening and/or chronic, but more importantly, there are regulations soon coming into force that will link work visa renewal to having paid the official NHI, so for anyone hoping to stay beyond a year, it will be imperative to get enrolled (and the first year is dead cheap anyway, compared to the PIs these dispatchers try to flog you!)].
The Pay: Varies from 180,000-260,000 Yen a month to start (standard pay average is currently 250,000 Yen a month and the first payday is usually 2 months after starting) [I would argue that you should be almost morally obliged to add a rider or something to the effect that 180K, especially if the first pay packet doesn't come until after two months have elapsed (effectively reducing that amount to 90,000 yen pcm thereafter, given the likely borrowings from and indebtedness to the dispatcher) REALLY IS TOO LITTLE TO SURVIVE ON. Certainly, travel costs, gas bills, internet access and healthy eating will be difficult to sustain on so little. But there may be some who can just about manage on that by eating only potnoodles and wallpaper, and never ever going out even for a walk, but they'd really need to get a much better job if they were planning on staying beyond a year, when local tax demands and NHI payments (which leap in amount by about x20) become inescapable (for those purposes just mentioned of work visa renewal)].

More Benefits can be found with different companies and as always look into the hiring company for more details. [I don't think there are more tangible benefits to be had, at least not from dispatch employers - grief, more like. Sorry to sound so negative, but one has to make people aware that this sort of work is now bordering on 'charity' - nice way to experience Japan if you can afford to subsidize it, but once whatever subsidizing finances have gone it starts to become increasingly untenable financially. Most people may end up experientially richer, but are likely out of pocket or have lost a fair bit of what they might otherwise have earnt over their year(s) spent dispatch AETing].

The JET Programme

This option is also available and is the most highly recommended method for starting a career as an Assistant English Teacher (AET). Like many of the above companies the requirement and benefits are the same. [The requirements and certainly the selection process are a bit tougher, but the expectations once "in" are generally lower. Benefits aren't the same, they are FAR BETTER than any dispatcher has ever offered. For example, not only is NHI paid, but (into) a pension too (one is effectively an employee, a civil servant, of the Japanese state), meaning that this can be reclaimed as a lump sum at the end of JET, which in the case of a 3-year stint could be running into thousands of dollars due back. Then of course there are the PAID holidays - dispatchers don't usually let you take even UNPAID leave, because a day you aren't working is money they aren't eligible to be paid either]. The application process and interview process is longer and more involved than most companies, but this is a government run program and therefore carries the maximum in both pay and benefits available in this field. [Ak OK, this is sort of echoing what I wrote just now, but sort of contradicting what you yourself wrote. Maybe rewrite this whole paragraph so it coheres better and doesn't contradict itself]. The prestige of having worked for the JET program is one of the most impressive points on future job applications and will open a number of doors. [A lot depends on what you do with your more bountiful, paid free time on JET, and the comparatively generous salary. Those with cert-level TEFL qualifications should definitely be saving for if not enrolling in at least distance MAs, whilst those who are less into TEFL should be studying Japanese and looking to go into business-related ventures]. What the JET program values in addition is individuality. They are looking for unique people that show the diversity of human culture. Showing this in the confines of the interview where the dress code is standardized can be difficult so it is up to you and your personality to make the impression.
 
The Job


What does this job require of you? That is changing right now! Japan has expanded the time the students are exposed to English from Kindergarten through High School. Currently most kindergarten teachers are not trained to teach English as a second language at this level.

What does this mean for you? If you are hired for a position where you will be placed in kindergarten [I wasn't aware that kindergarten qualified as or had 'AETs', certainly not dispatched into it!] or elementary school classes you will likely be running the show. Most kindergarten jobs require you to have early childhood development training and certification because of this. [So it is really a different kettle of fish and indeed field to dispatch AETing. If anyone unqualified is going to be working kindy, it is likely those who were hired as 'eikaiwa teachers']. The Lead [=HOMEROOM, in ESs] teacher will be looking to you for classroom instruction design and techniques, but will provide translations as needed for students. Classroom cleanup, student welfare (fighting and injuries on the playground), and field trip guide will also be part of your routine. [Standard dispatch agency advice at any level is to NOT GET INVOLVED and LEAVE IT TO THE JAPANESE STAFF TO SORT FIGHTS OUT. Japanese parents often call for the foreigner to be SACKED if they even TOUCH their "little angels"]. As teacher training evolves to meet new requirements your role will change will it. Unfortunately I do not have any good videos links for this area.





For those of you looking at higher levels of education to work in the situation changes. The Lead teacher is very knowledgeable in their field and will likely look to you for as more a resource of accurate language pronunciation.

What this means is that you may be involved with lesson planning and vocal exercises in the classroom, but not much more. You will likely be assigned other duties in the school to fill you time as well, such as insuring students adhere to school codes [Not in my experience], being an advisor to a club, or being an additional hand to help with office work or field trips [No office work is delegated - and few AETs would have the Japanese anyway, even if the authority were delegated to them; as for field trips, trips abroad etc, I don't recall ever having gone on one, though this can be a "risk" in working at more demanding PRIVATE high schools, which is a very small sub-set of AET dispatch work that is generally "closed" to those not currently residing in Japan with work visas and a fair bit of work experience already. Still, there is the occassional school "marathon" or "march" (IIRC 'enbu' - "far walk"?) that a JTE might get roped into...]. Classroom cleanup at the end of every school day will also be part of your routine. You will also likely be assigned to be in more than one school in your district. That means travel between school frequently and less time spent in classrooms with the same students. You will need to be as flexible as possible for this job. This is likely where most of you will be working as this is the larger and more prominent field and realize that many of the duties described above are duties that regular teachers deal with as well so don’t feel like you are being used for duties that have little to do with teaching. This is all part of what teachers everywhere do as part of their job.

For those wanting to see a typical English class click here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0llSEnB ... re=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trkSXVLI ... re=related

Staying Healthy

A big part of moving to a new place is staying healthy in the new environment. For Japan that means paying into the National Health Care fund for access to medical facilities and treatment or paying for private insurance that allows similar access. [PI may very well not provide similar access - and good luck with arguing your case when you are gouting blood and losing consciousness fast (but assuming you get treated, you could well wake up to an astronomical bill) - and certainly not work visa renewal soon. See comments above].

Most hiring companies do this on your behalf taking the money needed from your pay, but it is your responsibility to keep track of the needed documents so that you can use this benefit as needed. These documents should be kept with your identification papers and copies at your place of residence.

You should discuss these benefits with the hiring company to insure you understand how it works and what they are offering as part of the employment package. For those of you wanting more information on both the National Health care system and private insurers try the following links.


http://content.healthaffairs.org/cgi/re ... 0/3/87.pdf

http://www.allianzworldwidecare.com/healthcare-in-japan

http://www.globalsurance.com/?OVRAW=Hea ... 3985331511


If you find yourself without coverage take the time and find a good private insurance company in Japan.



http://www.japan-medical-insurance.com/insurers/gmc.php
 
Bibliography


ESLcafe.com for my discussion links regarding life as an AET

http://forums.eslcafe.com/teacher/viewtopic.php?t=9741 (Fluffyhamster, 2009)

http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=64852 (Mrtwist, 2009)

The Jet Program for more information from ALTs and Former ALTs

http://www.jetprogramme.org/e/current/publications.html

Medical Information main text

http://content.healthaffairs.org/cgi/re ... 0/3/87.pdf

Gaijinpot.com for a number of links to both jobs and employers

https://jobs.gaijinpot.com/index/index/ ... mit=Search

http://wiki.gaijinpot.com/wiki/Interac_Co.,_Ltd

https://jobs.gaijinpot.com/index/view/c ... b_id/32940

http://www.geoskids.com/
https://jobs.gaijinpot.com/index/view/l ... b_id/19472

Special thanks to JET recruiting representatives for their input, FluffyHamster who corresponded with me on ESLcafe.com and directed me to further links, Dave Sperling of ESLcafe.com for his willingness to let me post this and draw critiques of this work as a student, and all of the dispatch businesses that I have interviewed with and gave advise as I pursue this career

Note: this topic may be moved to another forum that this topic fits better.